Photo by John Suchocki / The RepublicanHampden District Attorney William M. Bennett, center, talks Friday about the death of infant Ethan Luce last weekend at the Clarion Hotel in West Springfield. To the left is West Springfield Police Chief Thomas E. Burke. To the right is state police Capt. Peter J. Higgins.This is a 4 p.m. update of a story posted at 9:33 this morning.

SPRINGFIELD – The mother of a 6-week-old baby boy found dead in a room at the Clarion Hotel in West Springfield will likely face negligence charges.

The infant died as a result of injuries, including several skull fractures, inflicted by his 3-year-old brother when the children were left alone in the room for a period of hours, Hampden District Attorney William M. Bennett revealed on Friday.

The child, whose death had been termed “suspicious” by police, had been staying at the hotel for about two weeks with his mother Erica Luce and 3-year-old brother Sean Luce Jr. The family was placed there through a state-financed program for the homeless.

Death of 6 week old Ethan Luce

Death of 6 week old Ethan LuceDistrict Attorney William Bennett held a press conference on the death of 6 week old Ethan luce in the Clarion Hotel in West Springfield

The baby was rushed by ambulance at around 3 a.m. on Sunday to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, where he was pronounced dead.

“The autopsy revealed the child died from multiple trauma, including several fractures to the skull,” Bennett said.

An account of the incident given to investigators by the 3-year-old corroborated the medical examiner’s findings, according to the district attorney.

“There were number of assaults,” West Springfield Police Chief Thomas E. Burke said of the three-hour period in which the boys were left alone.

Erica Luce had told media representatives on Sunday that she found her son covered in cold water and lying naked next to an air conditioner, which was turned on full blast. She claimed a stranger broke into her room at the Clarion, 1080 Riverdale St., while she was in an adjacent room talking to a friend.

Speaking at Friday’s press conference in his office, Bennett said negligence charges are likely to be filed against Erica Luce next week.

“Obviously there aren’t going to be any criminal charges against the 3-year-old child,” Bennett said.

Burke said the investigation determined Erica Luce had left the baby in an unstrapped car seat on the bed in the motel room. When she returned three hours later, the room was in disarray and the baby was on the floor and not breathing, according to the chief.

Burke said the investigation was difficult for his officers, many of whom have children.

“This was extremely awful. I can’t think of any other words. To see something like this happen is just unbelievable,” Burke said.

The state police detective unit assigned to Bennett’s office also participated in the investigation.

Capt. Peter J. Higgins, head of the unit, described it as “tragedy for the victims involved in the case and the child that created this situation.”

Burke said he was angered to learn that 28 rooms in the Clarion were rented by a state housing-assistance program.

“We inherited these people over there, and we had no knowledge anybody being there,” Burke said.

Burke said there are indications that Erica Luce was in a next-door room to hers that was occupied Springfield gang members while her son was killed.

“She was next door, but the cast of characters was incredible,” Burke said.

The police chief he plans to research the possibility of a city ordinance to somehow address the issue of using hotel rooms as residences for the homeless population. Hotel and motel rooms, Burke said, really aren’t set up for apartment-style living.

It’s also dangerous, he said, because it creates potential for increased occurrences of pedestrians seeking to cross Route 5. “We are lucky we haven’t had something happen (before this),” Burke said.

Burke said the investigation found there was no credibility to the scenario presented the mother about what happened to her baby.

Investigators are still determining what charges to bring against Luce, according to the chief. “There’s certainly negligence involved, but there could be more serious charges,” he said.

On Monday, the state Department of Children and Families was granted legal custody of the 3-year-old boy.

Burke described the older brother as a “big boy, almost 40 pounds,” and said he will turn 4 in March.

Funeral services for the infant, Ethan, were held Thursday morning at the Ludlow Funeral Home.